drift
(redirected from drifts)Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia.
drift
(drĭft)v. drift·ed, drift·ing, drifts
v.intr.
1. To be carried along by currents of air or water: a balloon drifting eastward; as the wreckage drifted toward shore.
2. To proceed or move unhurriedly or aimlessly: drifting among the party guests; a day laborer, drifting from town to town.
3. To live or behave without a clear purpose or goal: drifted through his college years unable to decide on a career.
4. To have no continuing focus; stray: My attention drifted during the boring presentation.
5. To vary from or oscillate randomly about a fixed setting, position, or mode of operation.
6. To be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of a current: snow drifting to five feet.
v.tr.
1. To cause to be carried in a current: drifting the logs downstream.
2. To pile up in banks or heaps: Wind drifted the loose straw against the barn.
3. Western US To drive (livestock) slowly or far afield, especially for grazing.
n.
1. Something moving along in a current of air or water: a drift of logs in the river.
2. A bank or pile, as of sand or snow, heaped up by currents of air or water.
3. Geology Rock debris transported and deposited by or from ice, especially by or from a glacier.
4.
a. A general trend or tendency, as of opinion. See Synonyms at tendency.
b. General meaning or purport; tenor: caught the drift of the conversation.
5.
a. A gradual change in position: an iceberg's eastward drift.
b. A gradual deviation from an original course, model, method, or intention.
c. Variation or random oscillation about a fixed setting, position, or mode of behavior.
6. A gradual change in the output of a circuit or amplifier.
7. The rate of flow of a water current.
8.
a. A tool for ramming or driving something down.
b. A tapered steel pin for enlarging and aligning holes.
9.
a. A horizontal or nearly horizontal passageway in a mine running through or parallel to a vein.
b. A secondary mine passageway between two main shafts or tunnels.
10. A drove or herd, especially of swine.
[From Middle English, drove, herd, act of driving; see dhreibh- in Indo-European roots.]
drift′y adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
drift
(drɪft)vb (mainly intr)
1. (also tr) to be carried along by or as if by currents of air or water or (of a current) to carry (a vessel, etc) along
2. to move aimlessly from place to place or from one activity to another
3. to wander or move gradually away from a fixed course or point; stray
4. (Physical Geography) (also tr) (of snow, sand, etc) to accumulate in heaps or banks or to drive (snow, sand, etc) into heaps or banks
n
5. something piled up by the wind or current, such as a snowdrift
6. tendency, trend, meaning, or purport: the drift of the argument.
7. a state of indecision or inaction
8. (Navigation) the extent to which a vessel, aircraft, projectile, etc is driven off its course by adverse winds, tide, or current
9. (Physical Geography) a general tendency of surface ocean water to flow in the direction of the prevailing winds: North Atlantic Drift.
10. a driving movement, force, or influence; impulse
11. (Motor Racing) a controlled four-wheel skid, used by racing drivers to take bends at high speed
12. (Geological Science) a loose unstratified deposit of sand, gravel, etc, esp one transported and deposited by a glacier or ice sheet
13. (Mining & Quarrying) a horizontal passage in a mine that follows the mineral vein
14. (Agriculture) something, esp a group of animals, driven along by human or natural agencies: a drift of cattle.
15. (Tools) Also called: driftpin a tapering steel tool driven into holes to enlarge or align them before bolting or riveting
16. (Electrical Engineering) an uncontrolled slow change in some operating characteristic of a piece of equipment, esp an electronic circuit or component
17. (Linguistics) linguistics gradual change in a language, esp in so far as this is influenced by the internal structure of the language rather than by contact with other languages
18. (Human Geography) South African a ford
19. (General Engineering) engineering a copper or brass bar used as a punch
[C13: from Old Norse: snowdrift; related to Old High German trift pasturage]
ˈdrifty adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
drift
(drɪft)n.
1. a driving movement or action.
2. (of a ship) the component of the movement that is due to the force of wind and currents.
3. a broad, shallow ocean current that advances at the rate of 10 to 15 mi. (16 to 24 km) a day.
4. the flow or the speed in knots of an ocean current.
5. a gradual deviation from a natural or desirable position or course.
6. the course along which something moves; tendency; aim: a drift toward the political right.
7. a meaning; intent; purport: the drift of a statement.
8. the state or process of being driven.
9. something driven, as animals or rain.
10. a heap of any matter driven together.
11. a snowdrift.
12. loose material, as gravel, sand, etc., transported and deposited by glacial ice or meltwater.
14. a gradual change in some operating characteristic of a circuit, tube, or other electronic device, as an effect of warming up or of continued use.
15. gradual change in the structure of a language.
16.
a. a round tapering piece of steel for enlarging holes in metal or for bringing holes in line to receive rivets or bolts.
b. a flat tapered piece of steel used to drive tools with tapered shanks, as drill bits, from their holders.
17. an approximately horizontal passageway in underground mining.
18. the gradual deviation of a rocket or guided missile from its intended trajectory.
v.i. 19. to be carried along, as by currents of water or by the force of circumstances.
20. to wander aimlessly: to drift from town to town.
21. to be driven into heaps, as by the wind.
22. to deviate or vary, as from a proper position or set course.
Idioms: drift off, to fall asleep gradually.
v.t. 23. to carry along: The current drifted the boat to sea.
24. to drive into heaps.
[1250–1300; Middle English drift, n. derivative of Old English drīfan to drive]
drift′ing•ly, adv.
drift′y, adj. drift•i•er, drift•i•est.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
drift
In ballistics, a shift in projectile direction due to gyroscopic action which results from gravitational and atmospherically induced torques on the spinning projectile.
Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.
Drift
a number of animals driven or moving along in a body; a mass of matter driven forward. See also creaght, drive.Examples: drift of anglers; of bees; of birds; of cattle, 1613; of dust, 1725; of fishers—Bk. of St. Albans, 1486; of fishing nets, 1834; of gold, 1645; of hogs; of ice; of lace, 1889; of leaves of trees, 1600; of men, 1450; of oxen, 1552; of piles, 1721; of quailes, 1613; of rain, 1300; of sand, 1634; of sheep, 1816; of smoke, 1842; of snow, 1300; of swans; of swine [tame]—Bk. of St. Albans, 1486; of wood [floating in the sea], 1627.
Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
drift
Past participle: drifted
Gerund: drifting
| Imperative |
|---|
| drift |
| drift |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  drift - a force that moves something along force - (physics) the influence that produces a change in a physical quantity; "force equals mass times acceleration" |
| 2. | drift - the gradual departure from an intended course due to external influences (as a ship or plane) aeroplane, airplane, plane - an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets; "the flight was delayed due to trouble with the airplane" ship - a vessel that carries passengers or freight leeway - (of a ship or plane) sideways drift natural action, natural process, action, activity - a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings); "the action of natural forces"; "volcanic activity" | |
| 3. | drift - a process of linguistic change over a period of time melioration - the linguistic process in which over a period of time a word grows more positive in connotation or more elevated in meaning linguistic process - a process involved in human language | |
| 4. | drift - a large mass of material that is heaped up by the wind or by water currents drumlin - a mound of glacial drift mass - a body of matter without definite shape; "a huge ice mass" snowdrift - a mass of snow heaped up by the wind | |
| 5. | drift - a general tendency to change (as of opinion); "not openly liberal but that is the trend of the book"; "a broad movement of the electorate to the right" inclination, tendency, disposition - an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others; "he had an inclination to give up too easily"; "a tendency to be too strict" evolutionary trend - a general direction of evolutionary change gravitation - a figurative movement toward some attraction; "the gravitation of the middle class to the suburbs" | |
| 6. | drift - the pervading meaning or tenor; "caught the general drift of the conversation" | |
| 7. | drift - a horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine; "they dug a drift parallel with the vein" mining, excavation - the act of extracting ores or coal etc from the earth passageway - a passage between rooms or between buildings | |
| Verb | 1. |  drift - be in motion due to some air or water current; "The leaves were blowing in the wind"; "the boat drifted on the lake"; "The sailboat was adrift on the open sea"; "the shipwrecked boat drifted away from the shore"go, locomote, move, travel - change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically; "How fast does your new car go?"; "We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus"; "The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect"; "The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell"; "news travelled fast" float - move lightly, as if suspended; "The dancer floated across the stage" waft - be driven or carried along, as by the air; "Sounds wafted into the room" tide - be carried with the tide drift - cause to be carried by a current; "drift the boats downstream" stream - to extend, wave or float outward, as if in the wind; "their manes streamed like stiff black pennants in the wind" |
| 2. | drift - wander from a direct course or at random; "The child strayed from the path and her parents lost sight of her"; "don't drift from the set course" go, locomote, move, travel - change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically; "How fast does your new car go?"; "We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus"; "The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect"; "The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell"; "news travelled fast" rove, stray, roam, vagabond, wander, swan, ramble, range, drift, tramp, cast, roll - move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment; "The gypsies roamed the woods"; "roving vagabonds"; "the wandering Jew"; "The cattle roam across the prairie"; "the laborers drift from one town to the next"; "They rolled from town to town" | |
| 3. |  drift - move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment; "The gypsies roamed the woods"; "roving vagabonds"; "the wandering Jew"; "The cattle roam across the prairie"; "the laborers drift from one town to the next"; "They rolled from town to town"go, locomote, move, travel - change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically; "How fast does your new car go?"; "We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus"; "The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect"; "The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell"; "news travelled fast" maunder - wander aimlessly drift, err, stray - wander from a direct course or at random; "The child strayed from the path and her parents lost sight of her"; "don't drift from the set course" wander - go via an indirect route or at no set pace; "After dinner, we wandered into town" | |
| 4. | drift - vary or move from a fixed point or course; "stock prices are drifting higher" drift - be subject to fluctuation; "The stock market drifted upward" vary - be subject to change in accordance with a variable; "Prices vary"; "His moods vary depending on the weather" | |
| 5. | drift - live unhurriedly, irresponsibly, or freely; "My son drifted around for years in California before going to law school" drift - move in an unhurried fashion; "The unknown young man drifted among the invited guests" | |
| 6. | drift - move in an unhurried fashion; "The unknown young man drifted among the invited guests" circulate - move around freely; "She circulates among royalty" | |
| 7. | drift - cause to be carried by a current; "drift the boats downstream" float - set afloat; "He floated the logs down the river"; "The boy floated his toy boat on the pond" | |
| 8. | drift - drive slowly and far afield for grazing; "drift the cattle herds westwards" | |
| 9. | drift - be subject to fluctuation; "The stock market drifted upward" change - undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature; "She changed completely as she grew older"; "The weather changed last night" drift - vary or move from a fixed point or course; "stock prices are drifting higher" | |
| 10. | drift - be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of wind or a current; "snow drifting several feet high"; "sand drifting like snow" amass, conglomerate, cumulate, pile up, accumulate, gather - collect or gather; "Journals are accumulating in my office"; "The work keeps piling up" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
drift
verb
1. float, go (aimlessly), bob, coast, slip, sail, slide, glide, meander, waft, be carried along, move gently We proceeded to drift along the river.
2. wander, stroll, stray, roam, meander, rove, range, straggle, traipse (informal), stravaig (Scot. & Northern English dialect), peregrinate People drifted around the room.
noun
1. shift, movement, flow, transfer, relocation, gravitation the drift towards the cities
drift off fall asleep, go off, drop off (informal), crash out (informal), nod off, conk out (informal) He finally drifted off.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
drift
verb3. To move about at random, especially over a wide area:
1. A group of things gathered haphazardly:
2. Something suggestive of running water:
3. The general sense or significance, as of an action or statement:
Idioms: sum and substance, sum total.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
TranslationsSelect a language:
Spanish / Español
drift
[drɪft]A. N
1. (= deviation from course) → deriva f; (= movement) → movimiento m; (= change of direction) → cambio m (de dirección)
the drift to the city → el movimiento migratorio hacia la ciudad
the drift from the land → el éxodo rural, la despoblación del campo
the drift of events → la marcha de los acontecimientos
the drift to the city → el movimiento migratorio hacia la ciudad
the drift from the land → el éxodo rural, la despoblación del campo
the drift of events → la marcha de los acontecimientos
2. (= meaning) [of questions] → significado m
to catch sb's drift → seguir or entender a algn
I don't get your drift → no te entiendo
to catch sb's drift → seguir or entender a algn
I don't get your drift → no te entiendo
3. (= mass) [of snow] → ventisquero m; [of sand] → montón m; [of clouds, leaves] → banco m (Geol) → morrena f
continental drift → deriva f continental
continental drift → deriva f continental
B. VI
1. (in wind, current) → dejarse llevar, ir a la deriva; (= be off course) [boat] → ir a la deriva; [person] → vagar, ir a la deriva
to drift downstream → dejarse llevar río abajo
he drifted into marriage → se casó sin pensárselo
to let things drift → dejar las cosas como están
to drift from job to job → cambiar a menudo de trabajo sin propósito fijo
to drift downstream → dejarse llevar río abajo
he drifted into marriage → se casó sin pensárselo
to let things drift → dejar las cosas como están
to drift from job to job → cambiar a menudo de trabajo sin propósito fijo
2. [snow, sand] → amontonarse
drift apart VI + ADV → irse separando poco a poco
drift away VI + ADV → dejarse llevar por la corriente
drift off VI + ADV (= doze off) → dormirse, quedarse dormido
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
drift
(drift) noun1. a heap of something driven together, especially snow. His car stuck in a snowdrift.montón
2. the direction in which something is going; the general meaning. I couldn't hear you clearly, but I did catch the drift of what you said.sentido
verb1. to (cause to) float or be blown along. Sand drifted across the road; The boat drifted down the river.dejarse llevar, moverse empujado
2. (of people) to wander or live aimlessly. She drifted from job to job.vagar, ir sin rumbo, ir a la deriva
ˈdrifter noun1. a fishing-boat that uses a net which floats near the surface of the water. trainera
2. a person who drifts. vagabundo, trotamundos
ˈdriftwood noun wood floating on or cast up on the shore by the sea. We made a fire with driftwood. madera flotante
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
drift
→ flujo , ir a la deriva , marchaMultilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009